Fate and Circumstance
by Trinity Le Faye
Summary: This is a fanfiction with a lot of Original Characters that are based on my life. This is my life set to the show with obviously a lot of drama that has happened to me but not in the same way. Join Lady Rachael and her life of Fate and Circumstance. Warning: AUish to a point.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I Will Lay No Claim That Any Of This Is Mine. Robin Hood Belongs to BBC and Tiger Aspect Not me.(The only person I own is Rachael(and co.)(Be Aware this is told in many different point of views.)

Prologue

"Rochdale… interesting I'm from there not bein' funny but why would such a young lass such as you be travelin' there?"

"I'm not alone in this Master A'Dale. You see my Papa has business in Nottinghamshire but so far we have been rejected has there been some tragedy in the recent years of the shire?" the said young lass requested.

"Ya do me an honor lass I am but a humble Thatcher. No master or nuthin either. The Sheriff has been replaced and a new one put in place by Prince John 'imself."

"Then we shall have to be received by our cousins in Knighton…I must go now. Thank you for your aid Master A 'Dale." She said handing one ha'penny to him.

As the girl Lady Sarah went back into the coach, they continued on to the journey. "Well it would seem Uncle Edward was sacked father." She said.

"Times have been hard for all child. I do hope that this new Sheriff can handle the pain of blood money." Her father retorted.

"My Lord David, do not speak so ill of him. He would not hurt the people of Nottinghamshire surely." His wife Lady Laura was flabbergasted with her husband's lack of faith for the system.

"I do hope my brother and his family are well." She said to her husband and his mostly bald head shook in despair. They continued on with their journey down the Great North Road. "His Marian is only as old as our Rachael. Both I fear will be maids." Lady Laura fretted.

"Rachael and Marian are both strong bright women my dear, not to mention if they do then they shall be old maids together there is nothing shameful or could be that heinous as long as we try to play roles carefully."

The footman announced that they had arrived in Knighton. Lady Sarah grew excited she greatly loved her family. The lady was only fifteen springs old but had already surpassed her cousin and sister in height making her appear older than those fifteen springs. She leapt out of the carriage bounding her happy way towards the hall to greet her Uncle Edward. Lord David embraced his elder brother-in-law.

"Now where may Rachael be?" The old sheriff asked. David directed his brother-in-law's gaze upon a lone rider behind the coach.

"She refused to ride in the coach due to the enormity of noise inside. Or as she put it Lady Sarah's insentient chatter." The Lord laughed as he beckoned his eldest daughter to come by.

"A lady should not have a destrier my dear sister; tis a beast of expense and soldiers."

"Forgive me Uncle but if I were only a lowly serf… I'd wish to breed horses. My mare and I have been through many things. Haven't we, Magdalene." She stroked her mount's snout to calm her. Edward tutted.

"That is a most obscene naming her after…"

"After the whore that Christ absolved of sin." Rachael said pointedly causing her mother to faint slightly quickly revived by their lady-in-waiting.

"And she and the mother Mary had taken his body to be resurrected after his crucifixion on the cross by the Holy Spirit and Father." All but her and her father crossed themselves.

"My daughter where are your spectacles?" Lady Laura scrutinized her daughter. Rachael sighed. She lifted her dress reaching to her riding boots and her spectacles that in (her mind safe) on the strap that clasped them. She slid them onto her duchess nose.

"For shame for what your horse tossed you thus breaking them child." Her mother reprimanded.

"Magdalene would do no such thing. I have trained her well and she is not easily spooked." She simply rolled her eyes as they once again crossed themselves.

"Where is my cousin?" Rachael asked getting thoroughly annoyed with her maternal family.

"She is about... more than likely visiting her own steed in the stable." Edward stated. Lady Laura held Sarah back so her sister could house her horse into the stable.

"So handsome yes… so beautiful." Rachael found her cousin Marian speaking to her palfrey. "Is that so my dear cousin?"

"Rachael!" Marian ran up to her cousin and kissed her cheek. "Tis good to see you we were not expecting you till solstice. To which in your letter you said…" she trailed off.

"I said to when dear sister became of known in court. Sadly the Prince demanded my father's presence and thus we arrived sooner."

"Cousin Sarah has still not been admitted at court." Marian arched her brow playfully.

"Thank the Goddess no. She is still far too immature to handle courtly duties." Rachael smiled.

"Ladies… The Sheriff has requested an audience with us." Lord David said. They were once again piled into the carriages and set off to meet the new Sheriff of Nottingham; Lord Argo Vaisey.


	2. 1: Also Known As, Sticks & Stones

Chapter I: Of Barbs and Pebbles(Sticks and Stones)

As the ride into Nottingham Town was far more pleasant and quite despite the constant contrast of each coach. There was innocent banter between the cousins in one carriage and the elders in the other in deathly silence. Rachael wished they had ridden through Locksley. She missed her friends and her sister-in-law along with her very young niece and nephew who resided there but when a Sheriff summons you, you must attend.

It appeared sad and lonely the courtyard. They quickly ushered into the castle to supposedly avoid the beggars and poor. Rachael shot a look of disbelief to her Uncle and Cousin. She could see her father's face and visible disappointment as the guards shooed the pitiable wretches away from them. The great hall was so dull the tapestries that once hung from the tall vaulted ceiling were replaced by a gaudy ironwork chandelier that had obviously seen better days and its candles had not replaced in sometime.

There were many chairs filled with other nobles from Nottingham all surrounding a very large and long wood table and the center of it was a small man with a rather large chair that at once Rachael recognized as the Sheriff's chair.

The small man snapped his fingers. "Gisborne I fear we may run out of chairs for the Sheriff of Oxfordshire and… family." He laughed. "See that my fellow Sheriff and his wife get their own chairs."

"Yes my lord." Said the tall mass of leather that Rachael could barely see even with her spectacles due to the darkness from behind Vaisey; she cleaned the glass of her spectacles.

Once her father and mother were situated Sarah behind Lady Laura herself, behind her father. Much like her cousin she was closer to her father.

"Onto Business!" Boomed the Sheriff of Nottingham.

"Tis been a good month we have nearly collected three hundred pounds." The noble was quickly silenced by shush from Vaisey.

"Would you want to be the King. Clue, No! Trying to feed a starving army on three hundred pounds you promise five?" he stated condescendingly.

"It is more than we have ever managed in the past Lord Sheriff." The noble said only to be slighted by Vaisey.

"Ohh yippy. So the King… is forever to be famished in the Holy City and you have all but failed him BUT!- his tone turned even more mocking- It more than we've managed before." Vaisey, himself was cut off by his herald.

"Robin of Locksley and Sir Thomas of Locksley." The voice rang to the ears of the nobles and the Sheriff.

"Morning everyone!" Robin's cheerful voice cut through the great hall.

"Sheriff You may carry on." Thomas said unstrapping his weapons from his belt tossing them to Much and remained standing as too allow Robin to sit whom Vaisey addressed the latter first.

"Locksley Welcome Back… I trust Sir Guy of Gisborne managed your estates to your gratification."

"I believe he managed to them to your satisfaction." Robin said several nobles biting their tongues and lower lips.

"Sir Thomas and your peasants are unruly we have two in custody awaiting trial."

"Three." The man in black corrected.

"Three that we must show discipline and justice still exist. Now Loughborough."

"Thank you my…" he began and was interrupted

"Discipline has never been an issue on either of the Locksley estates." Lord David spoke for the first time beating his son and Robin to the punch.

"Times have changed Lord David as you, yourself must know from being Oxfordshire's sheriff."

"Yes but not for the better it would seem on your beloved Nottingham, Argo." He said.

Robin and Sir Thomas both went in agreement. "Here… Here.." Vaisey scolded but maintained his simpering.

"Your son, you, and Locksley should know better than anyone the King needs funds to fight a Holy War."

Rachael rolled her eyes, "Tis not like it is our holy war anyhow." She mumbled under her breath yet louder than she had intended but soon all eyes were upon her as she had spoken out of turn and not being spoken to, she straightened her back as Vaisey addressed her.

"Ah. The Great Lady of Oxfordshire... somehow your name escapes me. What did you say?" he hissed.

"I said it is not like it is our Holy War." Once again her mother was about to open her mouth reprimand her but was cut off by Robin.

"Truly Lady Rachael… I agree, is ours or is it the Pope's?" he said.

"We stand shoulder to shoulder with Rome." Vaisey retorted.

"And we fall shoulder to shoulder too… Lord Robin and I have seen it personally." Thomas quipped quickly.

"Fine! I am as willing as the next Sheriff to be open to ideas of my nobles. To what would you all suggest we do to raise money for the King?" Vaisey tilted his head to them. Lord David held up a hand and motioned for his son and Robin to gather near and as they huddled the formed a plan of action.

"Stop all taxes. Today…" Robin began ignoring the warning coughs of the other nobles including Lady Laura.

"Amusing." Vaisey smiled.

"We do not jest." Thomas furthered by saying "Today is market day is it not?"

"To the point gentlemen if you please." Vaisey sneered

"Where could the money lie then? In the people who have goods to sell. If a man has more than he needs for his family he can go to market and thus sell and or trade his surplus and the shire can take its fair share but upon seeing the amount homeless we need good nobles like Robin of Locksley to help their villagers whether they be pie man, seamstress or smith and get them to market maybe even make a farmer's market once the land becomes fertile again. Let them provide for their family. Get them trading again and they too will pay the tax willingly. So far my own shire has had no issue Argo on meeting the King's quota by this method. So I am sure Nottingham could do so as well." Lord David pitched. All the other nobles seemed to like this idea.

"Men like those you have mentioned must be lazy. We need a hungry man who will give us his money. Our noble friends here seem to forget a hungry man is virtuous." Vaisey tried to turn the tables.

"Define virtue with impartial and neutral terms. These people spend their lives trying to make it better. You simply live off their misfortunes." Lady Rachael argued Lady Marian gripped her cousin's hand trying to stop her from angering the man.

"There is a feast in honor of my brother and Sir Robin's return in the great hall" she continued.

Vaisey was red. "Indeed my dear." He obstructed out through a clenched jaw.

"I'd be rest assured virtuous men and women shall not be feasting." She said with a slight smirk. Robin smiled.

The meeting was quickly adjourned after which, Marian had been dragging her cousin down the hall whilst the rest of her family got reacquainted with each other.

"Are you so absent that you believe you are heard by such people? This world is run by men; Dear sweet cousin I do not even speak out for fear of what Vaisey could do to us." She said stroking her cousin's cheek only to have it lightly smacked away.

"For that Marian you are wrong. Living in fear that… imp. It seems so unlike you where is the girl who chased Robin of Locksley and had her maids cringe at her coming home in fear of the dresses being soiled." Rachael laughed pressing her spectacles further up the bridge of her nose.

"She grew up Rachael and so should you. It is not safe to speak out as a woman of standing or not."

Rachael shook her head and saw Robin approaching them. "Heartbreaker at midday." She whispered and Marian turned around flushed as Rachael left the hall to get her destrier.

She went to Nottingham stables seeing Magdalene waiting patiently whinny at her. Rachael had set her to be saddled and unlocked her stall and led her out of the stables only to be stopped by a guard.

"My Lady put the horse back in its stall."

"Pardon me?" she said affronted.

"You have just attempted to steal Sir Guy of Gisborne's horse." He clarified.

"I have done no such thing!" Rachael argued.

"You shall wait here till I get Sir Guy to solve this matter. I am sorry my lady." He said retreating but to return only sheer moments later with the man in black she had seen earlier.

He was scowling seemed to be a semi-permanent one as he approached Lady Rachael, his expression softened but only just.

"Captain are you sure this is the woman?" his voice dark like his leather and tone was a pinch lighter than it had been in the presence of the Sheriff; Vaisey. Before the guard or captain rather could speak Lady Rachael quick tongue got the better of her.

"You have heard his claim, but yet it is a falsehood. This creature is indeed my horse. Not yours Sir Guy."

"To which sex is your horse?" Sir Guy asked.

"My Magdalene is the same sex as I. Mare." She retorted. She rolled her eyes once again as the Captain crossed himself and noticed Sir Guy did not.

"Tis an ironic name." The man smirked. Lady Rachael had look up at him questioningly as if silently asking why.

"The reason for the irony is a simple reason that my stallion himself is named Judas and he does look very similar to your Magdalene. Save for your mare is slightly smaller about only a half hand and Judas' mane is silvered."

"Hence the name I wager." She jibed, but Sir Guy nodded lightly lopsidedly smirking.

Sir Guy went into the stables and retrieved Judas. Lady Rachael greatly admired the man's horse and did agree that Magdalene and Judas were most similar.

"There are two more things you have missed Sir Guy. My Mag has a lightly shaped mark on her chest and I bred her myself. Her sire was quite unruly and unfaithful to the mare that birthed her. Later her sire and mother mare were found dead in their stalls. The poor foal had to survive off the milk of goats and cows. Now she is a great destrier perhaps a tad stronger than my cousin's palfrey." She smiled stroking her mare's crest and neck. Sir Guy had listened to every word intently and the captain was dismissed. "Do you fancy a race my Lady?" he asked.

"Is Sir Guy and his Judas are prepared to lose?" Rachael smirked.


	3. 2: Ambitions and Welcomes

Chapter II: Ambitions and Welcomes

Sir Guy was very impressed with Lady Rachael and her family but mostly her and her cousin. He did hope his reason for being with the lady was beyond her justly so for he did not seek favor with Marian yet. Lady Rachael was very much dislike her cousin. To where both her siblings and cousin were tall, she was more petite in stature. Marian had some proof besides her hair of her feminine form but Lady Rachael it would be no secret that she was a woman. She had a well corseted but however voluptuous chest. She wore darkly framed spectacles except when she rode her winning destrier and when she rebelled and refused to put them on apparently he mused.

"Would seem they are both equally matched." He heard her comment; he reached up on the tree, which had been the set finish line, and tugged three apples from the branches. He handed her two. She inclined her head and fed one to Magdalene who tried to nip at the second one. Lady Rachael scolded as she then went over to Judas.

"Sir Guy may I feed this apple to Judas?" she asked before giving the fruit to the animal. Guy was shocked how calm Judas was around her but also because she had asked to give the apple he meant her to eat to his stallion. He shrugged and gestured a hand to Judas's mouth Lady Rachael smiled in half terms of the word, only one side of her smile went up and as she fed the destrier her one-sided smile became a full smile but still only through her pale bloodless lips.

Guy wondered why she did not care to wear lip rouge or powder; she wasn't like Marian or tavern wenches who seemed to pile it on to enhance certain features. Her face was of normal womanly length; her nose unlike Marian's had no upturn or hook like her brother, little on the larger end for feminine noses.

She was taut in the cheeks and it created her features to be soft but angular. Her hair was a different story than her family as well. Where Sir Thomas and Lady Sarah had dark blonde almost to be likened with that of Robin, Rachael's was dark near ebony with rays of light hitting it within awakening the crimson strands within the near raven-wings hair.

Pulled from his musings by the Lady's brother; Sir Thomas.

"My God Sir Guy wandering with my sister without a proper companion to either of you; you must be bored." He laughed good-naturedly. Lady Rachael though happy for her brother and friend's safe return did not share his mentality of being restricted.

"Dear brother I should like to think that Ashleigh would be suited for such a task for you. As she is your wife and mother of your children; you should ride to your estate to check on them." She dismissed after a moment of obvious contemplation he embraced her. "Sir Guy, Sister." He rode off.

"I think you should head back now Sir Guy surely my lord Sheriff Vaisey will have missed you by now." She quirking her voice as if she was trying to keep the annoyance out.

"I believe you, yourself need be in attendance." He replied back.

"I have already stated my disdain for the feasting on the hard backs of others Sir Guy. Forgive me for not yet attending." She said turning away to mount Magdalene.

"Surely your family would be grateful of the company." Sir Guy urged.

"Tis not my feast to attend nor is it my place. As you yourself Sir Guy, have witnessed I am not like my family." She mounted her mare. "Good Day, perhaps I shall see you on the morrow." She said awaiting his response which was an inclined bow of his own ebony head and with that she rode back to Knighton Hall and he mounted Judas and slid back off to Nottingham Castle.

In the castle Vaisey had managed to convince Sir Thomas and his family to eat among the other nobles. Lord David was chatting with Sir Edward whilst Lady Sarah chatted up her mother. Robin had appeared by Vaisey about the same time as the lieutenant. Vaisey would speak to him later.

"Ah Huntingdon you are missing your own feast." He quickly snidely rebuked. "Rumors abound."

"And pray tell this gossip." Robin deadpanned trying to keep himself from getting angry.

"That you are weak your…exploits have damaged you returning you back home." He said softly.

"My master has come home with honors from the King himself." Much piped up only to be silenced by Robin's raised hand.

"Though I'd assume a crusader a greater honor would have been to stay and fought… Oops oh well." Vaisey drawled.

"I have spoken to my peasants with Sir Thomas in your dungeons they have committed grave crimes. Which in fact would make you all the more compassionate in these people's eyes if you were to pardon them of these crimes." Robin ground out

"They will hang. We must have example and law." Vaisey said baiting him.

"It is accustom for the Sheriff to hear to his nobles' requests for clemency." He was boiling back his anger.

"Blah-di-de-bla-blah. Oh by the way in your absence we have nominated Sir Thomas to oversee tomorrow's entertainment. Unless of course you wish to?"

"No!" he said sharply.

"Too bad I wish you would; so these nasty little rumors of weakness would not have to spread. Better get them out while the stain is fresh. Hmm? Otherwise we'd all be paying for it."

"Fine I shall do it." He growled. Vaisey walked down the steps then turned around. "Oh and Do tell Lady Rachael next time you see her; I require words." He smiled heading back down. Then Marian headed through the archway straightening her dress.

"Marian…" Robin and Guy said in exact unison.

"Yes." She replied not specifying to which man it was for. Guy asked her for her company and Robin rolled his eyes and was disturbed as she took her hooked arm to his, they headed down the stairs.

"Go on Much enjoy. I think I shall search Rachael out." Robin said sadly.

"Master surely you would mi…" he trailed off and he went to help Ashleigh and Sir Thomas with their children.

Robin was still in quiet thought roaming the halls of Nottingham Castle when suddenly the alarm went up. Mass quantities of guards were called. He heard Vaisey's inhuman screech. He looked around for the reason not finding one. He then heard Sir Guy and the master at arms De Fourtnoy yelling at each other and then to the guards. Robin asked one who passed by him, "What is going on?"

"Prisoner escapes my lord. Believed to be released by Sister Phantom." He revealed. "Sister Pha…" Robin was cut off by Vaisey's yelling. "PHANTOM!" Robin noticed the woman known as Sister Phantom mount her horse white as snow.

She wore the Templar's uniform and her metal mask thick around the eyes. The metal was silver and clasped the side of her face with metallic vine wires that gave her the appearance of a masked nymph. Her mouth was cover by a scarf that lay under the vine work of her mask. In the dim light that remained from the setting sun Robin mounted his own horse and warded off the Sheriff's men. The nobles and poor alike saw how he defended Sister Phantom's actions.

"Good people of Nottingham! The prisoners that were released by Sister Phantom were of Locksley. They deserved no more than the spill in stocks or a tanning for their crime no more than that. Will you tolerate this injustice? I for one will not."

"MASTER!" Much screamed running after him. Robin grabbed his manservant up and saddled him and the rode off to Sherwood. Whilst in Sherwood the men came face to face with Sister Phantom. The younger boys Luke and Benedict had already retreated back with Dan Scarlet and left Much, Allan A Dale, Will and Robin to speak with her.

"She saved them Master surely she isn't all bad." Much tried to defend.

"She is a woman… an outlaw she helped us yes but now we ourselves are conspirators and outlaws." Robin argued. "Who are you?" he demanded.


	4. 3: A Heroine's Quest

A/N: Okay I know you guys are reading otherwise my view number would be 0 not 125. Reviews believe it or not make me do this a lot faster than I already do. Please it helps if you review. 8 reviews vs 125 views… Curious… I need to know people like it, or if they don't what can I do to make it better for you lot. I love you guys. So enough of the author's sap. Story Time!

Chapter III: A Heroine's Quest

"Who are you?" Robin demanded he patted lightly onto her snow white horse's flank. He withdrew his hand and noticed that the horse's coat was covered in powder and was really as dark as the hair atop the woman's head.

"Lady Rachael I should have of known." Robin grinned insufferably making her eyes grow deviously obscure.

"Is that why you were not at the feast?" Much asked dubiously.

"One reason. I could not bear to see my friends hang." She said dismounting her powdered Magdalene.

"How do you do it?" Allan A 'Dale asked.

"My family do not know save for perhaps my father. He makes my mother mandate massive orders of powder so that I appear fair though as you all have seen I am more than ghostly and choose only lip rouge when it suits. So the powder adds up and I place it on Mag she looks quite fetching as Sister Phantom's horse." She explained.

"How long have you been known as this Phantom?" Robin asked helping clean the destrier of her disguise.

"If you must truly know it was six months before you left for the crusades and before you broke my cousin's heart."

"So five and half years." He said only wincing at her words.

"There have been far worse people than Vaisey."

"So you do not just do it here in Nottingham but all over England, how?" Will asked.

"I have friends in many places Will Scarlet. Some who are grateful for what I do for them and their families though they do not know who I really am." She admitted. "I must leave soon the guards will posted shortly in Knighton. My family is being watched. Tread carefully. I mustn't tarry." She shed the Templar's livery and her silver mask stuffing them into a saddle bag and dropped them in a hole. They were about to ask more questions when she rode off.

They began the fire. Will left to get more kindling. After a few moments of debating whether or not this put a damper on his lodging of Bonchurch and allies Much looked up to find four other outlawed or as they claimed themselves later _dead men_.

"EXCUSE ME!" a voice shouted angrily.

"This be our forest!" the flaxen haired one continued.

Meanwhile Knighton Hall was full of gloom her family subdued by the pain of Robin hero of Acre and once betrothed of Marian was now outlawed as he conspired with fellow outlaw. They were all sleeping. Her father however was wide awake. He prodded the fire back into passionate life as it lay near dying embers. He didn't even bother to turn around when addressed his eldest daughter.

"You're heart makes you most kind, Rachael but your tongue your mother fears is as sharp as a whetted warrior's blade."

"And you father I believe have quite the same opinion but you do not seem fearful." She said lightly. Her father's all-too-knowing gray eyes smiled though his mouth did not.

"Here I was thinking that my family proud, but it would seem too much to be so, your cousin and sister seemed jealous. Your brother was lightly irritated Edward and your mother seem outlandishly perturbed."

"What claim does Thomas have to be annoyed or Marian and Sarah for being envious? It is not like they cannot speak out. Thomas is angry because I had the attentions of Sir Guy without chaperon." She defended she nearly laughed as her father mocked a gasp.

"Such grave offense to be alone with a knight of the realm Even if said knight is working for the vilest troll of all sheriffs." He snidely jeered in false derision.

"Father go rest I am sure to-morrow will hold greater dollop of pain and annoyance due to the tyrant's coming and goings." She yawned.

"He wants a word with you today as it is nearly four hourglasses from dawn child." He said heading to one of the bed chambers. She lay her body down in front of the once again dying fire in the parlor of the hall she wrote in her diary until nearly falling asleep and hid it beneath one of the floorboards. She lent her head onto the rug and dreamed of the dark knight.

"_I am not like you Lady." his warm baritone cut her like frozen vane. "I am wholly a sinner and a maiden should not dwell too much on the fates decisions." He laid his hand under her chin raising her eyes to his; the visage that she believed to be her was only her cousin. She turned her head down and saw her own body pierced through the heart with a curved claw-like blade. She could not stop herself she yanked the formidable dagger from its resting place in her heart. The wound bled unabated by the black knight; who in turn was going to grab Marian's hand._

"_He will never love you the way he does me. Face it Cousin. You are but his pawn and I, his queen." Marian tilted her head back and laughed as she rode off without her but Sir Guy was not by her side it was Robin. _

_This confused her greatly as Robin's arrows sliced through smoky images of her father, brother, mother and sister that dissipated as if they were hit. He lined one more arrow and aimed directly at Sir Guy. As she ran to stop the arrow pushing Sir Guy out of the way the arrow she was once again lost to have the pain of her heart ripped. _

_As she fell, thinking she'd fall into his arms but instead fell upon the shards of the man in black as she had pushed it away from the danger he had shattered like a looking glass and Vaisey voice came to play in her mind through her nightmare._

"_Only you can break him to bring him back together Leper! A Clue: No." he laughed._

She suddenly woke on daylight feeling a cold, sticky torrent of wetness upon her. She felt around her chest and drew her hand back to find it had come back and smelled of ink. She had forgotten to cap it and now her dress and the rug to which she fell asleep on were soaked with the murky liquid charcoal.

"Lady Rachael your bath has been drawn." Edward's appointed manservant Russell called down.

"May ask where my family has gone Russell?" she inquired.

"To Locksley your brother had some need of your parents guidance as you were still resting they found it best to make the departure without you." He replied quickly.

"Thank you that will be all Russell." She bobbed her head. "I had no idea you had taken up post here." She said smiling.

"Tis an honor to do so." He said simply.

"I do hope Vaisey pays you well enough to let my uncle and cousin believe your lies but it does not faze me Russell." She said retreated to the bath locking the door after retrieving her small trunk from her cousin's room. She poured her white heather oils and lily of the valley oil. The lily was to welcome a return to happiness and her white heather was to give her protection against those who do her harm, despite her nightmare it could also help make her most desired dream come true. There in the bottom of the bath she closed her eyes once again after the ink had been scrubbed from her skin meditating only rising when she needed to breathe. Deeply in her trance she beseeched to the Goddess to tell her what her dream meant. A voice said she had already known the answer to which she sought. She soon once again feeling maidenly refreshed she let herself rise from the bath and air dry for a moment before feeling her heart slip away.


End file.
